NOTES FOR VISITORS: Welcome to the Alaska Outdoors Supersite forums! The contents of our forums are viewable by anyone, and may be read by clicking the forum headings below. To post in the forums, you must register at THIS LINK. To upgrade or change your membership, please login and select Upgrade > Supporting Membership. Your account will now be managed separately from the forum system. Forum login is separate from account management but shares the same username and password.

IMPORTANT: If you cannot log-in, please reset your password using our new 6 character format through THIS LINK and click Forgot Password. An email message with a reset link will be sent to your email address.

How to get down to 50 lbs overall for a 10 day flyout hunt?

Alright guys how the heck do you get down to 50 lbs all up for your 10 day hunts??

Attached is my list for what I would take for a 10 day flight out hunt.

I based it up 1.5 pounds of food per day so I had 15 pounds just in food. Then 6 pounds in just water (100 oz). Then if you subtract my rifle weight of another 6 pounds for my rifle I'm down to around 38 pounds for my core backpack weight. But all of it up added together and after I split the weigh evenly when the partner I fly out with I'm still up to 66 pounds so where can I cut the weight out at??

I'm actually not too concerned with actually getting to 50 pounds as I feel everything I have listed I need and am fine with a 66 pound pack to start my 10 day hunt. Just be interesting to see how others are getting their weight down so low.

Sorry bout that. Yeah I'm thinking for sheep hunt or similar. I'm only hauling water once I fly in to where I am going and then filling (with my water filter) up my camelback with 3 liters (6 pounds) of water which I have to include in my pack weight, but not for the flight in of course. At 66 pounds once you take water and rifle out of the equation I'm still at around 54 pounds, but I'm thinking I can fit 4 pounds of gear on my person to make the cut. But I keep hearing how people go on 10 day flightout hunts with a total pack weight of only 50 lbs so I'm interested to see how they get weight that low.

I think you could drop about 95 oz pretty fast. Not including water or food. Its seems like your carrying alot of water though.

Here is some of the things I would change or drop. I have been a guide for 15 years and I find I can do without more every year.

10 oz. Gps. In sheep county I only take a map. I will carry a gps for flat land hunts.

14 oz trecking poles. I have used them, and they do help in some situations but I have found them more of a hassle most of the time.

6 oz First aid kit. This is what I carry- Advil, band aids, mole skin, suture kit.

11oz. water fillter. I have never filtered water on a sheep hunt.

9.5 oz ammo. I only take 10 rounds, if two are hunting i would add 3 more rounds 13 total

23 oz Binos. I have the Swa. EL 10 42s and a pair of Lecias 10 25 compacts (9 oz.) I took both on a sheep hunt this year. The clearity was near identical. the Lecias are the only way to go. Tell your wife they are a great stocking stuffer. E L s will never go on a sheep hunt again.

13 oz spotting scope. I use the Leoupold 12 40 gold ring (37 oz)

8 oz tri pod. Find a lighter one. My cullman is 24oz and I found it works great.

I'm always on the fence about this last one. Sometimes I take one other times I dont.
16oz Sat Phone. You can get a small aircraft radio and save about 8oz or so.

One thing I do is switch out my Leatherman Wave for my wifes Squirt. I prefer the one with pliers and ditch the pothandle that would normally go w the kitchen kit. Much lighter than the Wave (2.0 oz on my scale) and can still be used to repair things. Pretty handy.

I may also ditch the GPS depending on my familiarity with the area and I don't take a rangefinder. I do ALWAYs take a compass. And I know how to use it.

I don't take a backup stove, since I can usually find something that burns (even some mosses have high resin contents).

I leave the bone saw, since I plan on my next sheep being a euro mount anyways.

And so far I use tablets or drops instead of a filter. Some of the new sterilizing gizmos look pretty cool though and much lighter than my filter.

My optics are a good deal lighter too, but also not quite as nice.

My headlamp is an LED unit runs on watch batteries and is only a couple oz's.

-Sub the Big agnes pad for a Thermarest Close cell foam in Short (9oz) ( you only need a pad for your upper torso).

- I like the nallo 3GT but the nallo 2 is lighter

-(gonna try this next year)No stove, no mountain house---Just processed foods (ready to eat) in food saver bags, salami, dried salmon jerky, fruit,protein bars, granola etc. (i'm gonna try this next year) but will stash a stove and cans of chili and food at my Landing zone to consume prior and return from spike camp.

- No water filter for me either, your a sheep hunter! drink like a sheep! you'll be fine. also if I travel along the drainages that hold water, I travel with very minimal water, because I know I have access to it until its time to ascend!...then you take what you think your going to need for two days. The key is to consume as much as you can while you have access even if your body doesn't want it, it will make you go ALOT but you'll be sooo hydrated, your body will sustain liquid deprivation for many hours.

- Looks like your taking alot of extra clothes too. I just go with what I have on and layer ( yes thats right , I only wear one pair of under wear, but its the patagonia capilene, and its not cotton, I can go 10 days on it, you can wash in the creek and dries quick if you have down time) no said you have to smell good to have a good hunt.

- My kid wears contacts, we leave his glasses at home, and just bring three sets of contacts and small tiny bottle solution.

- one pair of socks (The ones I have on) with an over layer of glacier socks. The key thing with socks, take them off every nite before you go to bed, if your feet sweat, just wear the socks w/o the glaciers but take them with for back-up.

- Last but not least...I would trade that mystery ranch for a Barneys frame , your gonna gain a little weight here but its more practical, but thats just my opinion, its up to you ....there you have it, you have almost 8 months to tinker with this to come up with solutions.

Rather than risk contracting a waterborne pathogen on a remote trip, you might consider taking one of these...less than one ounce, will filter up to 20 gallons of water. More than adequate for one person for a weeklong trip and negligible weight. Less than $10 too.

"If snowmachiners would adopt the habits of riding one at a time and not parking at the base of avalanche prone slopes, the number of fatalities would likely be whittled by at least a third, if not by half." ~ Jill Fredston, in the book Snowstruck, In The Grip Of Avalanches.

Thanks for the input guys. Yeah I would normally drop the water filter and A LOT of my first aid kit, but my wife (hunting parnter) is a nurse and WILL NOT due without cutting either of those or the sat phone so I'm stuck there.

I've been looking at compact binos to shave some weight as all I need to do is separate white against black (unless it snows ). Have to take a look at those Leicas that Skwentna man mentioned. I really enjoy my cushy Big Agnes pad so thats gonna stay. I could run my GoLite shangri-la 4 and shave 3 pounds.

Don't I still like my warm meal at the end of the day so I'll be keeping my stove setup.

The only extra clothes I'm bringing is 12 oz of base layer. I know that it adds up, but I like a setup of base layers that I KNOW will be warm.

However, even if I cut out the sat phone from Skwentna man's list I'm still only cutting 7 pounds total I'm at 59 pounds which is still 9 pounds more than some guys claim to start a hunt at. I'm actually ok with sharing 7 extra pounds between two people for a few luxuries as 66 pounds is lighter than I went in on most of my backpack hunts this year, but always looking for ways to improve.

So I guess how do these UL guys get down to only 50 pounds all up counting food, water, rifle, and EVERYTHING for a 10 day hunt?

I hear you on the wife issue, Luke. I could also go without a filter and much of a first aid kit, but things change when your spouse is along. I can deal with intestinal illness if it were to befall me, but I'm not willing to take that risk with her body.

Agreed on the stove as well. I'd way rather carry the pound or so instead of giving up warm meals. I'm not fanatic about cutting weight, though.

I personally rarely carry a gps, but the spot takes up a similar amount of weight and is becoming a regular in my pack.

The things I would lose would be the gps, the backup stove, the extra battery for the sat phone, and the rangefinder. If you're only using the sat phone to call for a pickup or in case of an emergency, you're not likely to need the extra battery. As for the rangefinder, I have personally never seen the need. I guess it's neat to be able to report that you shot an animal from exactly 174 yards, but it's not worth the weight to me. I can tell whether something is within range or not without knowing the exact yardage. Personal preference, I guess.

I also would personally use a smaller sleeping pad (though I'm re-thinking that approach) and possibly ditch the bivy, but there's a lot to be said for comfort. Like a previous poster, I want to do euro mounts with my future sheep, so I'd also not carry a bonesaw.

Flying out

The weight is for your pack. Wear all your clothes and boots you can. Stuff as much stuff as you can in your pockets. Wear your binoculars, etc. You can get A LOT of weight out of your pack and on your body. Be creative! Slide your spotter inside your shirt. We spent 11 days out once. We were down to eating caribou meat over the fire by the end, but was a great trip!

Northway I hear what your are saying about getting under the 50 pound limit for the flight out. I would no doubt stuff a lot of gear into my clothes I'm wearing. I know its a weight and balance thing, but I've always thought it funny that both a 275 pound guys and a guys like me at 150 pounds both can only have a 50 pound pack.

I guess the point I'm trying to make is figuring that if I split all the gear I was taking 50/50 with someone it'd come out to roughly 66 pounds right??? So if I cut or lightened everything mentioned above (most of which were shared items) and 7-8 pounds split two ways, both hunters are still at 62 pounds roughly. Still 12 pounds MORE than what guys are claiming they leaving the supercub headed for the mountains for.

Brian yeah I could ditch the GPS and trekking poles, really I don't use them too much, my wife likes them so they made the list. If anything we share one apiece or she uses both of them.

Vince, nice try. I tried a Barney's pack for a year. I didn't like how it rode with weight nearly as much as the Mystery Ranch so you best go buy one full price.

And sad to say but I still haven't gotten a sheep of my own (probably cause I'm carrying too much stuff ) so my first one will be a shoulder mount not a euro mount so the bone saw will pay dividends when it comes to carrying the skull out or not.

Like I said before not too concerned with a 66 pound pack to start out with. Heck if I add packrafting to the equation (and I likely am) I'm to nearly 75 pounds total. Granted I wouldn't have to carrying my sheep out, but rather float out.

I'm just trying to see how guys are heading up the mountain with 10 days of food, rifle, and water (since there are at times isn't any one the ridgeline) and the rest of their pack and still 50 pounds or less. I mean just because its your rifle or water doesn't mean it doesn't count towards your total pack weight, unless you are just looking to get under weight for the supercub flight. Maybe I'm misreading what these folks are getting at when they say they get their pack weights down to 50 pounds. I always understood it as 50 lbs all up. Not sans rifle or sans water.

Don't get rid of that spotter. Had the chance to use one. They are awsome but I'm sure you know that

in the same boat. Would like to lighten up but want to do it wisely. Not mentioned yet but look a your sleep system. For sure some lighter options there. As for binos look at the zeiss 10x25's mainly for price. But still great optics. You have some great gear there. I weighed in a 72 all up with rifle and everything for a 9 day walk in so I'm not the best source but looking to slim down this year. Not so bold to just take one pair of socks and TW's though

but do like the idea of no stove, hot drinks or meals, could take or leave. Actually getting away from mh sounds good. After 4-5 days it starts wearing on me. But could also just cut fuel and take less mh

Interested in the final outcome, Dont leave the sat phone IMO. Great tool if your life is on the line and a
moral booster if times get tough and you need some talk time